HOW TO BE GOOD

The character who tells this story is a physician and the breadwinner of her London-based family. She thinks of herself as a good person, especially in contrast to her caustic husband. When she admits that she's having an affair, he attempts to turn himself into a good person, too, with the help of a faith healer. The results are totally unexpected. Fortunately, the witty and perceptive author does not take his heroine as seriously as she does, though he makes her likable enough in her benign self-absorption. He has a light, sophisticated touch, a sense of humor, sympathy for his characters, and an ability to make rather sordid details seem tame. British actress Jenny Sterlin handles this with a wistful, put-upon air that lets the humor play through without her actually having to reach for it. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]